“Righteousness Exalteth a Nation”

by Duncan Sinclair

History has proven this saying in Proverbs to be true: “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” When a nation is just, upright, moral, and its tendency is towards the spiritual and away from the material, its prosperity is assured. But should materiality be allowed to hold sway and the sensuous to predominate, then the nation, whatever it may be, is bound to descend in the scale of civilization. The law is fixed: “Righteousness exalteth a nation;” but evil doing degrades it, even to the point of its extermination should it continue to indulge in sin.

Christian Science is doing a great service to the world by showing mankind how to cease sinning through the understanding of God. It is helping to remove the reproach from all the peoples of the earth who are willing to listen to its message and to obey the truth which that message reveals. How strongly Mary Baker Eddy commends righteousness in these words: “It is Christian Science to do right, and nothing short of right-doing has any claim to the name. To talk the right and live the wrong is foolish deceit, doing one’s self the most harm.” (S&H)

Everywhere in her writings Mrs. Eddy speaks plainly of the necessity for Christian Scientists to live a righteous life — not in one direction, but in every direction. To her, there was no room for hypocrisy or deceit on the part of those who became students of Christian Science.

Any kind of indulgence in evil renders one more liable to attack from other forms of evil. There is great need therefore for self-examination, to see whether our defense is weak at any part; and if it is, to strengthen it. Sin, sickness, sorrow, — all forms of evil belief, — are destroyed through the spiritual understanding of the allness of God, good, and the rejection of evil.

Our thinking and actions will have an effect on world thought. Mrs. Eddy wrote, “What grander ambition is there than to maintain in yourselves what Jesus loved, and to know that your example, more than words, makes morals for mankind.” (Mis.)

Mrs. Eddy also writes, “In the Science of Christianity, Mind — omnipotence — has all-power, assigns sure rewards to righteousness, and shows that matter can neither heal nor make sick, create nor destroy.” Righteousness — right thinking and right acting — must be based on a correct understanding of God, good, and a corresponding knowledge of the unreality of matter or evil. Then, being scientific, it cannot fail to receive its reward.